diff --git a/zalsa/jackclient.cc b/zalsa/jackclient.cc
index 3812dea..c82578f 100644
--- a/zalsa/jackclient.cc
+++ b/zalsa/jackclient.cc
@@ -44,8 +44,7 @@ Jackclient::~Jackclient (void)
 
 void Jackclient::init (const char *jserv)
 {
-    int                 i, spol, flags;
-    char                s [64];
+    int                 spol;
     jack_status_t       stat;
     struct sched_param  spar;
 
@@ -66,8 +65,27 @@ void Jackclient::init (const char *jserv)
     _bsize = jack_get_buffer_size (_client);
     _fsamp = jack_get_sample_rate (_client);
 
+    if (_nchan) 
+    {
+       register_ports (_nchan);
+    }
+
+    _rprio = jack_client_real_time_priority (_client) -  sched_get_priority_max (spol);
+}
+
+void Jackclient::register_ports (int n)
+{
+    int i, flags;
+    char s [64];
+
+    if (n > sizeof (_ports) / sizeof (_ports[0])) 
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+
     flags = JackPortIsTerminal | JackPortIsPhysical;
-    for (i = 0; i < _nchan; i++)
+
+    for (i = 0; i < n; i++)
     {
 	if (_mode == PLAY)
 	{
@@ -83,11 +101,10 @@ void Jackclient::init (const char *jserv)
 	}
     }
 
-    _rprio = jack_client_real_time_priority (_client) -  sched_get_priority_max (spol);
+    _nchan = n;
     _buff = new float [_bsize * _nchan];
 }
 
-
 void Jackclient::fini (void)
 {
     delete[] _buff;
diff --git a/zalsa/jackclient.h b/zalsa/jackclient.h
index f67db42..f392f17 100644
--- a/zalsa/jackclient.h
+++ b/zalsa/jackclient.h
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ public:
     int fsamp (void) const { return _fsamp; }
     int bsize (void) const { return _bsize; }
     int rprio (void) const { return _rprio; }
+    void register_ports (int nports);
 
 private:
 
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ private:
     int  jack_process (int nframes);
 
     jack_client_t  *_client;
-    jack_port_t    *_ports [64];
+    jack_port_t    *_ports [256];
     const char     *_jname;
     int             _mode;
     int             _nchan;
diff --git a/zalsa/zita-a2j.cc b/zalsa/zita-a2j.cc
index e7ef53a..bca856f 100644
--- a/zalsa/zita-a2j.cc
+++ b/zalsa/zita-a2j.cc
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ static bool          v_opt = false;
 static bool          L_opt = false;
 static const char   *jname = APPNAME;
 static const char   *device = 0;
-static int           fsamp = 48000;
-static int           bsize = 256;
+static int           fsamp = 0; // try to get from server if unspecified
+static int           bsize = 0; // try to get from server if unspecified
 static int           nfrag = 2;
 static int           nchan = 2;
 static int           rqual = 48;
@@ -148,7 +148,6 @@ static int parse_options (const char* load_init)
                 }
                 
                 argv[argc++] = token;
-                fprintf (stderr, "stash argv[%d] as %s\n", argc, token);
                 ptr = NULL;
         }
 
@@ -216,12 +215,29 @@ jack_initialize (jack_client_t* client, const char* load_init)
     if (device == 0) help ();
     if (rqual < 16) rqual = 16;
     if (rqual > 96) rqual = 96;
-    if ((fsamp < 8000) || (bsize < 16) || (nfrag < 2) || (nchan < 1))
+    if ((fsamp && fsamp < 8000) || (bsize && bsize < 16) || (nfrag < 2) || (nchan < 1))
     {
 	fprintf (stderr, "Illegal parameter value(s).\n");
 	return 1;
     }
 
+    J = new Jackclient (client, 0, Jackclient::CAPT, 0);
+    usleep (100000);    
+
+    /* if SR and/or bufsize are unspecified, use the same values
+       as the JACK server.
+    */
+    
+    if (fsamp == 0) 
+    {
+       fsamp = J->fsamp();
+    }
+
+    if (bsize == 0) 
+    {
+       bsize = J->bsize();
+    }
+
     opts = 0;
     if (v_opt) opts |= Alsa_pcmi::DEBUG_ALL;
     if (L_opt) opts |= Alsa_pcmi::FORCE_16B | Alsa_pcmi::FORCE_2CH;
@@ -238,8 +254,8 @@ jack_initialize (jack_client_t* client, const char* load_init)
 	fprintf (stderr, "Warning: only %d channels are available.\n", nchan);
     }
     C = new Alsathread (A, Alsathread::CAPT);
-    J = new Jackclient (client, 0, Jackclient::CAPT, nchan);
-    usleep (100000);
+
+    J->register_ports (nchan);
 
     t_alsa = (double) bsize / fsamp;
     if (t_alsa < 1e-3) t_alsa = 1e-3;
diff --git a/zalsa/zita-j2a.cc b/zalsa/zita-j2a.cc
index 73688ab..b75b631 100644
--- a/zalsa/zita-j2a.cc
+++ b/zalsa/zita-j2a.cc
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ static bool          v_opt = false;
 static bool          L_opt = false;
 static const char   *jname = APPNAME;
 static const char   *device = 0;
-static int           fsamp = 48000;
-static int           bsize = 256;
+static int           fsamp = 0;
+static int           bsize = 0;
 static int           nfrag = 2;
 static int           nchan = 2;
 static int           rqual = 48;
@@ -213,12 +213,29 @@ int jack_initialize (jack_client_t* client, const char* load_init)
     if (device == 0) help ();
     if (rqual < 16) rqual = 16;
     if (rqual > 96) rqual = 96;
-    if ((fsamp < 8000) || (bsize < 16) || (nfrag < 2) || (nchan < 1))
+    if ((fsamp && fsamp < 8000) || (bsize && bsize < 16) || (nfrag < 2) || (nchan < 1))
     {
 	fprintf (stderr, "Illegal parameter value(s).\n");
 	return 1;
     }
 
+    J = new Jackclient (client, 0, Jackclient::PLAY, 0);
+    usleep (100000);
+
+    /* if SR and/or bufsize are unspecified, use the same values
+       as the JACK server.
+    */
+    
+    if (fsamp == 0) 
+    {
+       fsamp = J->fsamp();
+    }
+
+    if (bsize == 0) 
+    {
+       bsize = J->bsize();
+    }
+
     opts = 0;
     if (v_opt) opts |= Alsa_pcmi::DEBUG_ALL;
     if (L_opt) opts |= Alsa_pcmi::FORCE_16B | Alsa_pcmi::FORCE_2CH;
@@ -235,8 +252,7 @@ int jack_initialize (jack_client_t* client, const char* load_init)
 	fprintf (stderr, "Warning: only %d channels are available.\n", nchan);
     }
     P = new Alsathread (A, Alsathread::PLAY);
-    J = new Jackclient (client, 0, Jackclient::PLAY, nchan);
-    usleep (100000);
+    J->register_ports (nchan);
 
     t_alsa = (double) bsize / fsamp;
     if (t_alsa < 1e-3) t_alsa = 1e-3;